Rating: 
Summary: Decent Account of the Burning of Washington in 1814
Review: 'The Burning of Washington' by Anthony Pitch is a detailed and well written account of the British invasion of 1814 during which the British defeated the opposing American forces before marching into the Capital and putting parts of Washington to the torch, including the White House. This book is a most enjoyable read and in my mind is as good as Walter Lord's book 'The Dawn's Early Light' which was first published in the early 1970's.The book covers the Battle of Bladensburg, the abandonment of the Capital and its subsequent occupation and destruction by the British. The narrative then continues with the fighting around Baltimore and the end of the war after the British defeat at the Battle of New Orleans. The author also tells the story of Francis Scott Key and birth of the American national anthem, an interesting story in itself. Anthony Pitch has used a number of first-hand accounts taken from the letters of participants on both sides of the conflict including, soldiers, sailors and civilians. Material has been utilised from diaries, journals and newspaper accounts to fill in this stirring and vivid narrative of this fascinating period of American history. Overall this is a decent piece of historical writing and I am sure that most people will enjoy the author's account of the invasion of 1814. The one negative point that I have to raise in regards to this book is the lack of detailed maps to follow the invading forces and the subsequent battles.
Rating: 
Summary: Masterful account of a searing event in the life of the USA
Review: Anthony Pitch brilliantly illuminates a brief but crucial period in the history of the United States of America. His descriptive power, his ability to capture and project the personalities astride the U.S. political and military stage in the second decade of the 19th century, his grasp of straightforward but compelling language, and his obvious love of the subject at hand, all of these leave the reader with a feeling of having personally witnessed a devastating national trauma. The book should be on everyone's reading list. Once having poked a nasal hair across the threshold, one is trapped, mesmerised and bolted to the pages, until the very end. Pitch displays a special joy in connecting the crucible of the past to an understanding of the present, and has performed a dutiful and generous service to the country. The work is thorough, yet brightly readable. It truly straddles the field of the academic and the realm of the popular and, I believe, should satisfy readers in! both camps. Neither too long nor too short, neither too heavy nor too light, the book passes the Goldilocks rule, and is just right. Prediction: a movie before long. Question: why is it in such short supply in, of all places, major bookstores in the national capital itself?
Rating:
Summary: Masterful account of a searing event in the life of the USA
Review: Anthony Pitch brilliantly illuminates a brief but crucial period in the history of the United States. His descriptive power, his ability to capture and project the personalities astride the U.S. political and military stage in the second decade of the the 19th century, his grasp of straightforward but compelling language, and his obvious love of the subject at hand, all of these leave the reader with a feeling of having personally witnessed the devastating national trauma. This book should be on every reading list; once having crossed its threshold, one is trapped, mesmerised and bolted to every page. Pitch displays a special joy in connecting the crucible of the past to an understanding of the present, and has performed a dutiful and generous service to the country. The work is thorough, yet brightly readable. It truly straddles the field of the academic and the realm of the popular and, I beleive, will satisfy readers in both camps. Neither too long nor too short, n! either too heavy or too light, the book passes the Goldilocks standard, and is just right. Question: On a recent trip to the national capital, I found that the book is in short supply in and around the very beltway where so much of the action occurred. This should be rectified at once, or else the fruit of Pitch's research will hit the screen long before even the paperback arrives.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Detailed Stories - Needs Maps
Review: Anthony Pitch gives wonderful tours of Washington DC, which is how I first happenned across this fine book. The book captures a superb level of detail which lends personalities and stories to historical people and places, as any good tour guide should. Pitch gives the reader a great sense of the confusion and fear that Washington residents felt, and the difficult decisions that were pushed upon them. He frames the burning of Washington with early unrest in Baltimore and later American victories in Baltimore and New Orleans which lends perspecitve, and places the burning of Washington in the proper context of the overall war. The book needs more maps to acquaint the reader visually with the movements of individuals, ships, and armies. I highly recommend reading the book with a map on the side, to complete your immersion into this fine book.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Detailed Stories - Needs Maps
Review: Anthony Pitch gives wonderful tours of Washington DC, which is how I first happenned across this fine book. The book captures a superb level of detail which lends personalities and stories to historical people and places, as any good tour guide should. Pitch gives the reader a great sense of the confusion and fear that Washington residents felt, and the difficult decisions that were pushed upon them. He frames the burning of Washington with early unrest in Baltimore and later American victories in Baltimore and New Orleans which lends perspecitve, and places the burning of Washington in the proper context of the overall war. The book needs more maps to acquaint the reader visually with the movements of individuals, ships, and armies. I highly recommend reading the book with a map on the side, to complete your immersion into this fine book.
Rating:
Summary: A memorable account of a critical event in U.S. history.
Review: Anthony Pitch has written a memorable account of a seminal event in American history. His portrayal of the British burning of our nation's capitol is an exciting, fast-paced description of events which catch and hold the reader's attention from the first to last page. Pitch's suspenseful story captures the essence of what is best in historical nonfiction - the ability to depict events in an accurate and yet dramatic style, painting word pictures in a crisp, authoritative fashion which entrances the reader. This book is a must for the library of every history buff, and for that matter, for every civic-minded citizen. There is no doubt in my mind that it will be made into an intriguing motion picture.
Rating:
Summary: EXTRAORDINARY ACCOUNT
Review: ANTHONY PITCH OPENS A WINDOW TO A CRUCIAL EVENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY. MORE IMPORTANTLY HE INVITES THE READER INTO THE EVENT AS A PARTICIPANT . BY MAKING YOU A PART OF HISTORY YOU BECOME AN ARDENT ADMIRER OF THOSE WHO CREATE IT. FRANCIS SCOTT KEY IS NOW MORE THAN A NAME ASSOCIATED WITH THE NATIONAL ANTHEM . JAMES MADISON IS OUR PRESIDENT HE IS NOT A FIGURE MERELY TO BE LISTED AMONG THE OTHERS WHO HAVE HELD THE OFFICE.DOLLY MADISON IS A GLORIOUS PERSON WHO ANY READER WOULD LOVE TO CALL , " FRIEND " IF YOU LOVE THIS COUNTRY YOU WILL LOVE ANTHONY PITCH'S ACCOUNT OF THE TURNING POINT IN AMERICAN HISTORY , " THE BURNING OF WASHINGTON "
Rating:
Summary: A Great Sequel to Mel Gibson's "The Patriot"
Review: Anthony S. Pitch is a first class story teller. From the humiliating defeat of the panic-stricken American troops at Bladensburg, Maryland (north of Washington, D.C.) to their magnificent victory over the British army at New Orleans (under the command of the immortal Andrew Jackson), it's all here. I found it difficult to put this riveting book down. As a native of Baltimore, I particularly enjoyed the author's fact filled account of the important battle at Fort McHenry and the birth of our National Anthem. The heroics of American Generals George Armistead, Samuel Smith, and John Stricker are faithfully retold, along with rich details about many other gallant defenders of the then-young Baltimore City. I grew up during WWII on Locust Point, in south Baltimore, where the Fort still stands as a sentinel, jutting out into the Patapsco River. Pitch's research of the combatants' competing military strategies in that seminal battle is very illuminating, indicative of the author's background as a journalist. The death of British General Robert Ross, just before the start of the decisive land battle at North Point (just east of Fort McHenry) at the hand of two sharp shooting patriotic riflemen, Henry McComas and Daniel Wells, deserves a chapter all to itself. Pitch also describes marvelous anecdotes about the torching of the city of Washington by the British that should be read by every American that cares about his country's history. I never fully realized just how close our nation came to again becoming a province of the British Empire. Pitch relates it was a lot closer then most of us ever imagined. I can't wait for this well-documented book to become a movie. It would make a great sequel to Mel Gibson's splendid film, "The Patriot."
Rating:
Summary: A Great Sequel to Mel Gibson's "The Patriot"
Review: Anthony S. Pitch is a first class story teller. From the humiliating defeat of the panic-stricken American troops at Bladensburg, Maryland (north of Washington, D.C.) to their magnificent victory over the British army at New Orleans (under the command of the immortal Andrew Jackson), it's all here. I found it difficult to put this riveting book down. As a native of Baltimore, I particularly enjoyed the author's fact filled account of the important battle at Fort McHenry and the birth of our National Anthem. The heroics of American Generals George Armistead, Samuel Smith, and John Stricker are faithfully retold, along with rich details about many other gallant defenders of the then-young Baltimore City. I grew up during WWII on Locust Point, in south Baltimore, where the Fort still stands as a sentinel, jutting out into the Patapsco River. Pitch's research of the combatants' competing military strategies in that seminal battle is very illuminating, indicative of the author's background as a journalist. The death of British General Robert Ross, just before the start of the decisive land battle at North Point (just east of Fort McHenry) at the hand of two sharp shooting patriotic riflemen, Henry McComas and Daniel Wells, deserves a chapter all to itself. Pitch also describes marvelous anecdotes about the torching of the city of Washington by the British that should be read by every American that cares about his country's history. I never fully realized just how close our nation came to again becoming a province of the British Empire. Pitch relates it was a lot closer then most of us ever imagined. I can't wait for this well-documented book to become a movie. It would make a great sequel to Mel Gibson's splendid film, "The Patriot."
Rating:
Summary: Terrific fast-paced impeccably-researched history!
Review: Based on countless personal stories that Anthony Pitch uncovered in his extensive research, this book reads almost like a novel. It races along through familiar territory; marches through the Maryland countryside, incursions on Capitol Hill and the President's House, Baltimore and Fort McHenry. By focusing on eye witness accounts and the lives of private and public figures (both British and American) and their roles in the handful of days of the Washington campaign, the narrative has an intimacy and immediacy that involves the reader, placing him or her in the midst of the historic seige. There are heroes and scoundrels on both sides. It's a fascinating read and a wonderful way to absorb history.
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